Billboard ROI in 2025: Are Traditional Formats Still Beating Digital?

People in advertising love to talk about digital being the future.

It’s flashy, modern, and flexible. But now that we’re stepping into 2025, many brands are asking an important question. Are traditional billboards still delivering a better ROI than digital billboards?

It’s not just a debate for marketing conferences. This is about real dollars and cents. Companies want to know how to spend their budgets wisely. Whether they’re promoting fast food, streaming shows, or local law services, ROI is the metric everyone watches.

Let’s dive into what’s happening in the world of billboards and why traditional formats might still be holding their own, even in this digital age.

What Does ROI Mean for Billboards?

When we talk about ROI in out-of-home advertising, we’re talking about how much value you get back for every dollar spent. It’s easy to think of ROI as purely numerical, such as impressions or cost per thousand views (CPM). But there’s more to it.

Billboard ROI is also tied to brand awareness, recall, and changes in customer behavior. Did people remember your ad? Did they search your business online? Did they walk into your store? These are all outcomes that contribute to ROI.

In 2025, marketers aim to connect their billboard spending to actual actions, rather than just estimates of the number of cars that pass by. That’s why ROI discussions now include creative strategy, targeting, and even how people feel about brands.

The Cost Differences Between Traditional and Digital

One big piece of the ROI puzzle is cost. Traditional billboards still cost less than digital ones. A static billboard is usually made of vinyl and stays in place for weeks or months. It doesn’t use electricity or need high-tech screens. The result is lower production and leasing costs.

Digital billboards, on the other hand, are expensive. They use LED screens, which require constant electricity and maintenance. Media space on digital boards often costs two or three times as much as traditional boards, especially in big cities or along busy highways.

Those higher costs can push digital ROI down if the creative doesn’t perform well or if advertisers don’t take advantage of digital’s unique strengths.

Why Traditional Billboards Still Deliver Solid ROI

Even with the excitement around digital screens, traditional billboards continue to deliver value for several reasons.

Constant Visibility

Traditional billboards stay visible around the clock. Digital boards often rotate multiple advertisers every few seconds. That means your message on a traditional billboard is there all day, every day, giving more chances for drivers and pedestrians to absorb it.

Strong Recall

People remember things they see repeatedly. Traditional billboards offer that consistency. Someone commuting the same route daily will see the same message, reinforcing brand recognition over time.

Simplicity Cuts Through Clutter

A static billboard with a bold headline and logo is easy to read and remember. Digital billboards can sometimes be too busy, with moving graphics and rapid changes that distract rather than inform. Simplicity can make traditional boards stand out.

Where Digital Billboards Excel

Digital billboards offer exciting advantages that can significantly impact ROI when utilized effectively.

Creative Flexibility

Digital boards allow advertisers to change messaging throughout the day. A coffee shop might promote hot drinks in the morning and cold drinks in the afternoon. A movie studio can swap out film release dates as new titles drop. This kind of flexibility isn’t possible with traditional boards without printing new vinyl.

Faster Turnaround

Traditional billboards often require days or weeks for production and installation. Digital boards can launch a new campaign in hours. That’s powerful for advertisers who need to react quickly to events, trends, or competitive moves.

Programmatic Buying

Digital billboards are increasingly available through programmatic platforms, which let brands buy advertising space in real time. This means advertisers can adjust budgets based on performance, shifting dollars to times and locations where audiences are most likely to respond.

Data Integration

Digital boards often connect with data systems that track mobile devices and foot traffic. Advertisers can see how many people were near a billboard and whether those people later visited a store. This helps brands tie ad spending to real-world actions, making ROI clearer.

The ROI Challenge for Digital

Despite their advantages, digital billboards face hurdles when it comes to ROI.

Higher Costs

Digital billboard space costs more. Even though digital offers flexibility and data, the higher expense can mean a lower ROI if advertisers don’t carefully manage campaigns. For some brands, the cost difference is simply too big to justify.

Shorter Dwell Time

Digital boards rotate multiple ads. A message might only appear for eight seconds before changing to another brand. If someone looks away at the wrong time, they miss your ad. Traditional boards avoid this problem because they’re always visible.

Audience Fatigue

Digital billboards were exciting when they first arrived. But in many cities, they’ve become part of the background. People are surrounded by screens everywhere—in stores, on buses, and in their pockets. Some marketers worry that digital billboards no longer stand out the way they once did.

Industries That Prefer Traditional Billboards

Certain industries still rely heavily on traditional billboards because the format fits their needs and budgets.

• Real estate: Builders and agents often place static signs near new developments to guide potential buyers.
• Legal services: Law firms want steady visibility in specific areas, and traditional boards keep their message in place for months.
• Local retail: Smaller businesses with tighter budgets find traditional billboards more affordable, allowing them to advertise without breaking the bank.

For these advertisers, the consistent visibility and lower cost of traditional billboards deliver strong ROI.

Industries Moving Toward Digital

Other industries find digital billboards worth the investment.

• Entertainment: Movie studios, streaming services, and concert promoters need flexibility to advertise changing schedules, ticket sales, and release dates.
• Automotive: Car brands can promote different models, seasonal sales, or lease offers and quickly adjust messages based on market conditions.
• Restaurants and QSRs: Chains switch creatives throughout the day to advertise breakfast specials in the morning and dinner deals at night.

These brands see digital as a way to maximize relevance and capture attention when it matters most.

Hybrid Strategies: The Best of Both Worlds

Many marketers in 2025 are choosing not to pick sides. Instead, they’re blending traditional and digital billboards in their campaigns.

For example, a national restaurant chain might use traditional boards for brand recognition in key cities while running digital boards for local promotions tied to weather, traffic, or time of day. This approach leverages the strengths of both formats. Traditional provides consistency and broad reach, while digital offers flexibility and quick adaptation.

A blended strategy helps brands balance costs, maintain strong presence, and respond to opportunities in real time. It’s becoming a popular way to maximize ROI.

Measurement Still Matters

One reason digital billboards are gaining ground is better measurement tools. Digital screens often tie into systems that analyze mobile data, helping marketers connect ad views to store visits or website traffic. This makes it easier to justify higher costs.

Traditional billboards have fewer tools for direct measurement, but the industry is making progress. Companies are developing methods to estimate impressions based on traffic patterns and audience demographics, helping advertisers feel more confident about ROI.

Still, measurement for traditional billboards remains more about estimates than exact numbers, making it harder for some brands to track precise returns.

So, Who’s Winning the ROI Battle in 2025?

So, are traditional billboards still beating digital in ROI as we head through 2025? The answer is yes—sometimes. And no—sometimes.

Traditional billboards continue to deliver strong value for brands with tight budgets, simple messages, and the need for steady visibility. Their lower costs and constant presence make them a solid choice for many campaigns.

Digital billboards, while more expensive, offer flexibility, data insights, and creative possibilities that traditional simply can’t match. For brands needing to react quickly to market changes or run time-sensitive offers, digital can deliver excellent ROI if used strategically.

Most marketers today aren’t choosing just one format. They’re blending traditional and digital billboards to get the best results. It’s not a question of which is better in all cases—it’s about which combination delivers the best ROI for specific goals.

For brands planning their out of home advertising in 2025, the smartest approach is to think strategically about each format’s strengths. By using traditional for broad awareness and digital for precision and flexibility, marketers can build campaigns that deliver solid returns and keep their brands front and center in a busy world.

https://www.whistlerbillboards.com/marketing/traditional-formats-still-beating-digital/?feed_id=432&_unique_id=686e6969cd268